Novelty box



June 13, 1950 B. KLEIN ET AL NOVELTY BOX 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 26, 1946 June 13, 1950 B. KLEIN ETAL NOVELTY BOX 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 26, 1946 INVENTORS Ben amin /1/em' y 6'0/6/[6 \f/f/e/h Arrow/ B. KLEIN Er NOVELTY BOX 3 Sheet-Sheet 3 June 13, 1950 Filed April 26, 1946 I KL, I l

III I IF I l Benjamin K/efn Gold/e J. ff/em I I 43 J n H 32 D INVENTORS Patented June 13, 1950 UNITED 'NUVELTY B'GX :Benj aminKlein: and Goldie. J ,Klein Long-Island City N'rY.

1'9 Glaims.

invention relates to: novelty boxes; particularly those that have the appearance: of an ordinary hinged-l'icl box but' which, 1 when opened in the usualnianner, disclosean'interiorstructureintegral with the lid and remaiiirdenof the. box' which is therefore not mere1y-"the-contents of the box, but disclosesa theretofora' undisclose'd element. III-1311151 instance the interior struotureis a three-dimensional picture construction having various portions "arranged-to extend out any tape, that holds -it in positiombeing exposed and withoutanyother device beingrused to hold the lid in position. The lid can be'iclosedl i in thesamemanner thatany ordinary-hingedlid box would be closed, without 'manipulating the three-dimensional picture construction, which will automatically fold 'flatiwithinrthe box upon closing the lid.

To the best-of our knowledge #n'obo'xhas been manufactured heretofore with "the above :features; One of thedeterrin'g factors has' b'een the cost of pasting individual pieces of a -three dimensional picture construction into "position iiia box to make a picture unlt 'Within' it; Another reason was that thethree-dimensional picture construction had to be manually-setup, after thelid was opened, thereby losing the surprise element. Also, the lid could notbe closed at will without manipulation ofthe 'pictui elpo'rtion within it. Tapes limitingthe' movemenvofthe lidhad to be in an exposedpositiomdetracting 'from the appearance of the box.

Our box, inits simplest form; ism'ade'ofone sheet of flexible material'cut and scored in'su'ch a way that it can be erected by simplebending and-passing operationsv on existing equipment, to comprise a box, a lid, a three-dimensionalpicture'construction enclosed between the box'and its lid,,and means forlocking the lid lto the body portionof the box, all in such a way that itcan be opened and closeclat will, andwhenopened it will stay in that position withoutatapeon other. means holding. it. Even when made of heavy material, only" three-sheets ofmaterial are required, and; iidesireda concealed tape. We do not require that our picture: construction have adjacent portions cocperatingvwith itto 2 lock or otherwise help position;

We are-.awarelof the fact that :the'construction of: a three dimensional: :picture fro'm a single sheet of materialconstitutes .a' prior artand make no claimtto suchwoonstruction;

Qther objfe'etsszand'ieatures of the invention, than thosehereinabove indicated, will appear as theJdescrliptionzofi the "drawing. progresses.

zlnuth'e drawings, ,Fig.- 1 is vaperspective view hold the lid in open of-lai'box'rin open...position:and made" of: heavyfimate'rial 'in the construction-sot which thewpresent invention has been embodied;

Fig: '2. is: a vertical: cross-section or the structure; shown-win: Fig. 1,;taken at Z: in the direcitlon Y;

l 'igz 3*is-la:plan 'view"ofathe out and scored blank from. which the three-dimensional picture c'onstruction andi its su-pporting; block are tobe erected;-

Fig. :4 is a: fragmentary ,portion, in perspective, of the :lid of thebox showndn Fig. 2, before the *tapeistattachedtd it;

Fig. *5 is-a: vertical-section taken on: Fig. 4

*throughX-Jookingitoward W, with the taperea'dy to: bello'cked .in-==.p1ace;

.Fig. 6 isv afragment'aryfportion of the lid, in iironttzelevation, showingi-the tape l0cked in-.-place and. seailedrbyx'a sticker Fig. 715153; perspective of a: modified form of -boxembodying. our invention; and

Fig: -3 iS:'a vertical section'through-such modified formzof box.

Referring now to thedraw-ings, inw-hichsim-ilar reference characters-- identify similar parts inithe-severalviewsg i designateain-general, a ecomplete box constructed in 1 accordance with the presentwinvention and comprising an container :portion 2, a hinged-lid. portion 3, .a combination base-and three-dimensional picture construction sectiomlga-tapefi, a locking member 6 asticker =1; and a-staple fll- .In-the box shown in Figsl and 2,.the container portion 2 and'the -lid portion '3 :are constructediand manufactured in the usual "manner ofha set-up box withthe-E following variation: When-the blank is die-cut-for the lid,- an extra piece of material 9.,running the length of the :hinge'dsiderof the lid, is-left attached to'it by 'a--score lin'e-a'nd thelocktab '6: iscut on three edges, and scoredhonithe fourth'one as-at H. Thefitab fi isepushed. inward as 'showndnF-ig. 5, before the cover paper iswrappedon the lid,-so thatth'e paperwillinot adhere to the tan-the r-reason ior whichwill become apparent later. In

the illustrations, the cover wrapper has not been shown because it is not pertinent to the invention. The combination block and three-dimensional picture construction portion 4 is formed from a blank as illustrated by Fig. 3. It is cut and scored so that part of it can be formed in the manner of a folding box, to form a block which acts as a base for the picture portion. The bottom of the block is denoted by l2, the top by [3, the front by M, the back by IS, the portion that underlies the top, to strengthen it and to conceal cut-away portions, by l6. There are end pieces and flaps attached to some of them, as shown by l1, l8, 18A, I9, 20, and 21. The portion of the blank that is cut and scored to form the three-dimensional picture construction is denoted by 22 and its background 23 is fastened to the inside of the cover at 25. The letter A denotes the medial fold line for the three-dimensional picture construction.

The box is assembled as follows:

The outside surface of piece 9 of the lid 3, is glued or stapled to the outside surface of the back wall 2A of the container '2, with the top edge of 9 flush with the top edge of the back of the box. One end of tape is glued or stapled to the inside surface of the back wall 2A. The other end is inserted under lick tab 6, allowing a predetermined amount of tape between the two attachments. The tape is wider than the tab, as illustrated in Fig. 6, so that when the tab is closed flush with the lid, from which it was formed, it will edge the tape along the three edges. The sticker 1, which is larger in area than the tab 6 is glued over it and onto the surrounding area of the inside of the lid, to prevent the tab from opening. The tape is preferably placed at a point behind the three-dimensional picture construction where it is least apt to be seen from the front of the box. The three-dimensional picture construction 22 is formed by folding in the proper direction on the score lines in the usual way (this is part of the process of assembling but not a part of the present invention) before the rest of the blank 4 is assembled. Piece 23 is now at an obtuse angle to l3. Surface I4 is bent at right angles away from I3; l2 at right angles away from [4; l5 at right angles away from l2; and [6 at right angles away from l5. Piece I6 lies under piece I3. End pieces I! are bent downward at right angles to IE. End pieces l8 are bent upward at right angles to l2 over the outer surface of H, and the tabs I8A are inserted to rest against the inside surface of IS. End pieces [9 are bent at right angles to M and over the outer surface of I8. End pieces 20 are bent at right angles to E3 and over the outer surface of IQ. The flaps 2| are then inserted in the slots 24. The assembled block 4 is glued inside the container 2 with the back surface l5 of the block against the inside surface of the back of box 2A and the ends 20 of the block against the sides of the container. The height of the assembled block is slightly less than the height of the inside of the container to allow space for the three-dimen-- sional picture construction to fold down when the lid is closed. The back surface of piece 23is glued, along its outer extremity 25, to the inside surface of the lid 3, with extremity 25 against the corner of the lid. Piece 23 is just slightly less in width than the inside of the lid.

Itwill be noted from Fig. 2 that section 23 hinges at point A, which is forward of the back wall of the container 2. The point A, is not an arbitrary one. It isdetermined in the following 4 manner and for the following reason. The inside of lid 3 must be of a length to permit it to close over the top of container 2 plus the thickness of strips 9 which is fastened rigidly to 2. In closing, lid 3 hinges at l0 and is shown in the closed position by 3A. From the above it will be seen that once the size of the container 2 is determined and the thickness of the stock used for 3 is set, the length EC, the inside of the lid, is established. The lid 3 pivoting from 10 describes an arc RD the radius of which is DC. It is known that the end 25 of piece 23 is going to be at point C when the lid is open and at point B when the lid is closed. It is known that when the lid is closed, the inside of it, which is length EC, is going to be contiguous with 23 and therefore BA plus AE' will have to be the same length as the inside of the lid, or EC. Lid 3 will have to pivot from ID at the same time that 23 pivots from A and therefore A must be at a point along BE which is equi-distant from B and C. In checking, it will be found that the arcs drawn using radii AC and DC from points A and D respectively, intersect at B and C, the only two points at which the picture construction background piece 23 and the lid 3 can come to rest, in their closed and open positions. The reason for this is that the arcs R-D and RA describe the circumferences of two circles having different centers, so that they can intersect only at two points: B and C. To move the lid 3 beyond the point C, while it pivots at [0, would require that it pass the intersecting point C carrying section 23 with it. To accomplish this would require that either 23 increase in length, which it cannot do, or that the rigidly constructed .lid 3 decrease in length, which it cannot do.

Therefore, the opposing forces will cause the lid 3 and section 23 when in the open position to come to rest at point C. A is the only point at which 23 can hinge, so that it can be opened to an obtuse angle to the container and also so it can be closed over the container simultaneously with the lid. It will be noted that the arc Rr-D described by using the radius DC from D is different from the arc R-A which was described by uslid is closed or in its maximum open position C.

The lid 3 is constructed so that its vertical length and its weight are greater than those of the portion of the picture construction 23 which is above the medial fold line A, so that when the lid 3 is lifted and pushed back slightly beyond the vertical position, it will pull the section 23 back of the vertical line and the combined lid 3 and section 23 will come to rest at point C, for the reason hereinabove given. The length of the tape 5 is such that it will be taut when the lid is in the aforedescribed open position and it will therefore help to prevent the sheet 23 from tearing if the cover is forced backward further than point C. It is simply used as a reinforcing for 23.

Figs. '7 and 8 are two views of a variation of the invention. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the open box. Fig. 8 is an end view of the box with the three-dimensional picture construction closed and diagrammatic indications of the cover opened. In this form, the container, cover and closing member are made out of one die-cut and scored sheet, two'edges of which are glued together, in the form of a folding box. The three-dimensional picture construction is made out of either the same sheet or a separate sheet. If it is a separate sheet, it is pastedinto position. In the illustrations, 38 is the container, into which maybe slid a drawer, to contain merchandise, or an object; 3| is the top portion of the cover,32 forms the back portion of the cover of the box when it is closed, 33 is the three-dimensional picture construction, 34 forms the front cover of the container when it is closed, 35' overlaps 3| when it is closed, and 36 is a flap which slides into a slot 33A in 3| to hold the cover down, in the closed position. The letter F indicates the medial fold line of the three-dimensional picture construction. It is to be noted that the entire container is made of stock; or picture construction 33 is made of lighter stock than the rest of the container. The combined weight of the cover portions 3| and 32 is greater than that of the portion of the picture construction 33 which is above the medial fold line F, and the combined length of cover portions 3| and 32 is greater than the length of the portion of picture construction 33 extending above the medial fold line F. When cover portion 3| is lifted and pushed back slightly beyond the vertical position, its weight, combined with that of the cover portion 32 will be greater than the portion of picture construction 33 extending above the medial fold line F; therefore, the combined weight of the cover portions 3| and 32 will pull and hold the picture construction 33 back of the vertical line.

Referring to Fig. 8 there is shown diagrammatically, therein, what takes place when the cover is opened. As the top portion of the cover 3! is lifted, it must carry with it the three-dimensional picture construction 33 because of the connection at K. 33 pivots from F and its fixed length is F'K which becomes the radius of the arc Llvl which it will describe. The fixed length of cover portion 3| is also FK. The back portion of the cover 32 must move at the same time as the top portion of the cover 3| because they are connected at G, and the back portion of the cover pivots from T. Its length is TF which becomes the radius of the arc GH which it will describe.

From the above observations, it will be seen that K must always travel along the arc LM because F is a fixed point and 33 a fixed length, but G is not a fixed point and as the top portion of the cover 3! moves back in unison with 33, G and K must assume positions such as are illustrated at (TH-K, G -K G K G -K and 33 must assume the positions 33A, 33B, 33C, and 33D. 3| must assume the positions 3 IA, 3 B, 3 |C,3 ID. The movement is that of a quadrilateral Whose angles are changed while one side remains in constant relation to the container portion of the box. The position G K would be the maximum distance that the top portion of the cover 3|D could travel back if it were forced back, because the back portion of the cover 32D would come to rest on the surface on which 30 rests. In that position, the three-dimensional picture construction 33D slants too far back. This is counteracted by the fact that the portion of the three-dimensional picture construction that is forward of F will tend to resist the Weight of the combined top and back covers 3| and 32 and the picture construction will rest at a place approximately 333, which is ideal for our purpose.

From the foregoing disclosure, it will be apparent that we have, by the discovery of how the various parts described above act in unison, made it possible to design a box in which the threedimensional picture construction will come to rest, in its open position, at a predetermined point, without the need of a supporting device to prevent the cover from falling too far back, or a deterring device to prevent the cover from falling forward; and yet permit the opening and closing of the box at will.

While we have illustrated and described specific embodiments of our invention,it will be obvious that various changes therein, particularly in the configuration and disposition of the parts thereof may be made without departing from our invention.

We claim:

'1. An article of the character described, comprising a box having a container portion, a hinged cover therefor, a folding interior structure contiguous with the cover and having a me dial fold line, the component parts of the cover being of greater length and weight than the section of the interior structure above the medial fold line, so that when the cover is lifted past the vertical position it will fall back and down from such vertical position, carrying the interior structure with it and will come to rest at a predetermined angular relation to the container portion of the box, limited by the relative lengths and weights of the component parts of the cover and of the section of the interior structure above the medial fold line, the resting position of the cover being such that the interior structure will have assumed an obtuse angular relation to the container portion of the box.

2. An article of the character described, comprising a box having a container portion, a hinged cover therefor, and an interior three-dimensional picture structure contiguous with the cover and having a medial fold line, the component parts of the cover being of greater length and weight than the section of the interior structure above the medial fold line, so that when the cover is lifted past the vertical position it will fall back and down from such vertical position, carrying the interior structure with it and will come to rest at a predetermined angular relation to the container portion of the box, limited by the relative lengths and weights of the component parts of the cover and of the section of the interior structure above the medial fold line, the resting position of the cover being such that the interior structure will have assumed an obtuse angular relation to the container portion of the box.

3. An article having the features set forth in claim 1, including a block for supporting the folding interior structure, and wherein the interior structure is constituted of the same sheet as the block, the block being mounted within the container portion of the box.

4. An article having the features set forth in claim 1, wherein the cover is provided with an auxiliary strip contiguous with one face thereof, said strip being fastened to the body of the box to form a hinge for the cover.

5. An article having the features set forth in claim 1 wherein the container portion of the box and the cover of the box are provided with means to limit the backward movement of the cover.

6. An article having the features set forth in claim 1 wherein the container portion of the box and the cover of the box are provided with means to limit the backward movement of the cover, said means comprising a tape attached at one end thereof to the container portion of the box and at the other to the cover of the box.

7. An article having the features set forth in claim 1 wherein the medial fold line of the interior structure contained in the box is forward of the back wall of the container portion of the box.

8. An article having the features set forth in claim 1 including a block for supporting the interior structure and wherein the interior structure is constituted of the same sheet as the block, the block being mounted within the container portion of the box, and the medial fold line of the interior structure is forward of the back wall of the container portion of the box.

9. An article having the features set forth in claim 1, including a block for supporting the interior structure, and wherein the interior structure is constituted of the same sheet as the block, the block being mounted within the container portion of the box, the cover having means for limiting the movement thereof, said means being fastened at one of its ends to the back wall of the block and the back wall of the container portion of the box, the other end of said limiting means being fastened to the cover.

10. An article having the features set forth in claim 1, wherein the cover is fastened to the outside of the back wall of the container portion of the box.

11. An article having the features set forth in claim 1 having a cover-movement limiting means secured to the container portion of the box and to the cover in such a manner that it is concealed from view from the front of the box.

12. An article having the features set forth in claim 2, including a block for supporting the folding three-dimensional picture structure, and wherein the picture structure is constituted of the same sheet as the block, the block being mounted within the container portion of the box.

13. An article having the features set forth in claim 2 wherein the medial fold line of the threedimensional picture structure contained in the box is forward of the back wall of the container portion of the box.

14. An article having the features set forth in claim 2 including a block for supporting the three-dimensional picture structure and wherein such picture structure is constituted of the same 8 sheet as the block, the block being mounted within the container portion of the box, and the medial fold line of the interior structure for the box is forward of the box.

15. An article having the features set forth in claim 2, including a block for supporting the three-dimensional picture structure, and wherein such structure is constituted of the same sheet as the block, the block being mounted within the container portion of the box, the cover having means for limiting the movement thereof, said means being fastened at one of its ends to the back wall of the container portion of the box, the other end of said limiting means being fastened to the cover.

16. An article having the features set forth in claim 1, wherein the hinged cover comprises two sections, one of which is hingedly attached to the bottom of the container portion of the box.

17. An article having the features set forth in claim 1, wherein the container portion, the folding interior structure, and the hinged cover are constituted of a single piece of material.

18. An article having the features set forth in claim 2, wherein the hinged cover comprises two sections, one of which is hingedly attached to the bottom of the container portion of the box.

19. An article having the features set forth in claim 2, wherein the container portion, the folding interior structure, and the hinged cover are constituted of a single piece of material.

BENJAMIN KLEIN. GOLDIE J. KLEIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,662,491 Crankshaw Mar. 13, 1928 1,681,700 Folmer Aug. 21, 1928 2,122,738 Drummond et a1. July 5, 1938 2,322,849 Horr June 29, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 461,794 Great Britain Feb. 24, 1937 171,908 Switzerland Dec. 1, 1934 273,153 Great Britain June 30, 1927 509,172 Great Britain July 12, 1939 15,640 Germany Mar. 26, 1904 

